The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-20
TWO GREAT BRorHEnHoops.

TWO GREAT BROTHERHOODS.
How 1t Comes that Locomotive Engineers
and Firemen Get Along So Well.
New York Sun.
The strikes in and about New York. the man
datory preroeatives Of the leaders Of District
Assembly 40 of the Knights OF Labor and the
patient obedience of thousands OF Knights, even
to the point of extreme poverty and great suffer
ing fer themselves and their families have called
attention to the organizations of the brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers and the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen. So mighty have the
two organizations become that it has been said
that general strike Of the engineers and fire.
men. if prolonged for any reasonable period.
would cause widespread bankruptcy among mer.
chants. railroads and hundreds of other corpora
tions, and yet, with Barry Cornwall. the lead
ers of the two mighty brotherhoods seem TO be-
lieve that
Mightiest powers by deepest Gains fed.
arbitration, conciatory measures and
wholesome appreciation of the rights OF capital
and corporations, but at the same time 8&Amanly
estimate of all employees Grand Chief Engineer
Peter NJ Arthur said short time ago to Sun
reporter, will settle any grievance the engi-
neers and fremen might have, and upon that
tack we propose to proceed"
At present there are about &c. 600 engineers
employed all the railroads of the country,
and about that number of iremen. They run
the 1873. 600 miles Of railroads in the coun-
try. The share capital Of the railroads IL 81
600 O0O,0 600, tue earnings are $500, 0OO, OO0 an
nually, and the amount of interest paid each
year on the capital stock of the companies is In
the neighb orhood of $195.000,000 Between
81 600 and %, 900 of the engineers are members
of the brotherhood and nearly that number OF
iremen are members OF the Firemens Brother
hood. There are now 800 subdivisions as
eemblies Of the engineers and $40 subdivisions
of the fremen, and they are increasing at tho
ratio of two month. The grand officers OF the
engineers are: Peter NJ. Arthur, grand chief en-
Ino hon fret sand nOin
and Fl. G. Hays first grand assistant engineer.
F. P. Sargent of Terre Haute. is grand master
Of the Firemen's Brotherhood.
"Two.thirds of the engineers and fremen be-
long to the brotherhoods," said well-informed
engineer who at one time was master of fire.
mems divisions, land at the rate we are increas
ing it will be but a year or two when we will
have about all we care to have in the brother
hoods. The strictest discipline is maintained Ia
| both orders. Last month there were four sus-
| pensions from engineers divisions and seven
| teen explosions. They were for intoxicaton.
| failing to pay just debts. for destroying
companys property, being drunk on duty nom
| payment Of dues, and for unbecoming conduct.
| What do we consider unbecoming conducu
Well. failing to prov, q decentiy for ones fam
lily. neglect Of an en zleer or fireman to send his
| children to school, AID all unmanly actions Of
! that sort. A member once expelled must show
| sincere change In his character and mode OF
! life before he can be reinstated. and even then
he would have to undergo long probation. A.
among applicants to join the Masons or Odd-fel-
| lows many are blackballed An engineer is not
eligible to membership unless he is white. TWEEN
ty-one years old, and has run an engine one year.
Then he must be proposed by three mem bers OF
| the brotherhood, recommended by three and an
| investigation committee of three sits in tudg-
| ment on him. Even if their report is favorable.
very small number of black balls-less than .
half dozen-will keep him out"
In speaking of the status of the engineers and
firemen, it stated that they are just as much
| separated as the engineers are from the Knights
of Labor. OF course, tho hremen are always
benefited by any improvement In the condition
| of the engineers MANY fremen become en-
eineers," the engineer continued I'm fact, nine
ont of ten of the Brotherhood OF Engineers were
firemen. The engineers are like senior members
| of firm of merchants. There has never been
an instance where the engineers have been in
| trouble that the fremen have taken their places.
| l sincerely believe that the conservative course
| of Grand Chief Arthur and the officers OF she
Grand Division will for many years preclude q
| general strike. People have mistaken notions
| about this matter. One division OF engineers
does not take up anothers troubles One divis-
ion might strike, and they would be assisted by
money and announcement il their cause was
right but a general strike would not be precip-
itated upon the country"
Mention was made OF the fact that the New
York Central and the West Shore. running
parallel with each other and controlled by one
corporation, and that the Lake Shore and the
Nickel-plate and other big Western roads were
practically under the same management and
was a strike one division and peace main.
tanned on the other. He replied: ''The warning
engineers would have to fight ont their battle.
All the other engineers would give them all tho
assistance in the way OF money that they could.
but even the engineers on the parallel branch Of
the road, If all agreements had been lived up to
with them, would not strike. If their brethren
| on the warning parallel struck and were beaten,
} they would get their wages from the united d.
vision for six months, and longer, if the grand
division so decided"
: The engineer said that this illustrated the diff
ference between the motto Of the brotherhood
of the Knights of Labor, "An injury to one Il
the concern of ALL" He. however, thought thai
at the next annual convention OF the engineer
the policy to be pursued towards engineers or
parallel roads controlled by the same compsnes
would be the important subject Of debate
1t is not to be imagined that the engineers are
at peace with their employers all over thu
, country. Net a week passes over Crane
from his home in Cleveland to arbitrata
, between q division 6 engineers and a railroad
, company. Just before the annual convention
, last fall he was called to New York TO patch III
York, New Haven & Hartford and Presiden
Watrous and the directors Of that company
But he moved SO quickly and secretly that n
: one.outside of the brotherhood and the official
Of the company knew Of his presence In tn
Q city. He met committee of the engineers .
!: the Grand Central Hotel heard their de
mands, and, after careful deliheration
II decided that they were just He tho
Q asked an audience with President Watrou,
Mr.. Watrous courteously called upon hiE
. at the hotel, and, after good, frank tall
II Mr.. Watrous acceded to the demands 9
. the engineers So quietly Was the trouble Sc
II tied and great strike prevented that it has e
': capped mention until this time. There is onl
. one ground which general strike OF the er
= gneers or firemen could occur--the refusal OF
d company to recognize their committees as men
d bers Of either brotherhood. That is an insul
they say, which they will net stand. The
claim that their organizations were not forme
to tyrannize over corporations, but for mutu
protection, and corporation knowing this shout
not refuse to recognize their manly and reason
i - A. oixxoa